TOY BOX SANTAS READY UP FOR THEIR BIG DAY

"T-Day" has arrived.

Cape Girardeau Jaycees Santas and elves will hit the road tonight to deliver toys to underprivileged children throughout Cape Girardeau, culminating the annual Toy Box drive sponsored by the Jaycees and the Southeast Missourian.

Volunteers have been busy collecting and sorting donations for more than a month. All that hard work will pay off tonight through children's delight in their Christmas toys, organizers say.

The toy drive benefits 1,000 to 1,200 children 12 and under every year in Cape Girardeau.

LaRae Leimer, a former chairman of the toy drive, will make her debut tonight as a Jaycees Santa.

"This will be my first year to be a Santa, but I've been involved with Toy Box since 1989," Leimer said. "I've gone out and worked with Santas in the past as a helper."

Scott McClanahan, a Toy Box volunteer for about seven years, said his role for tonight's delivery "hasn't quite been worked out yet."

Whatever job he winds up with, McClanahan says he's ready for it.

"I've either been a Santa or a driver or a helper every year, except for the year I was chairman," he said.

Toy Box is a great boost for Christmas spirit, McClanahan and Leimer said.

McClanahan said: "It's nice to be in the house and see the reactions. Some of the guys are a little nervous about being Santa, but it's neat when all the little kids run up to you. Of course, sometimes they run away from you, too. It's really not as tough as they think. It's kind of fun to be the one they all flip out over when you come in the door."

The best part of Toy Box, Leimer said, is "the kids' faces when you give them the toys. They're just so excited to see Santa and excited to see that big bag of toys."

Organizers report 448 applications for toys were received this year.

Toy Box donations will be accepted through Christmas, said Mike Seabaugh, Jaycees co-chairman of the drive. Donations that aren't used in this year's drive will be used to build a "nest egg" for next year's distribution, Seabaugh said.

New, unwrapped toys may be dropped off at Boatmen's Bank, Capital Bank, Coldwell Banker, Gulliver's Travels, Commerce Bank, Mercantile Bank, First National Bank, Chuck E. Cheese's, West Park Mall or the Southeast Missourian.

Donations may be sent to Toy Box Trust, P.O. Box 4, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702-0004.